James whitcomb



' (No Model.) 7 r J. WHITOOMB.

WHIFFLETREE.

N qz ms l. Patented Apr. 29, 1884.

2D I; I I 1 GE E \r A t. 2' /JB 3,511 i A 3% FIE 5 WITNESSES- INVERTER aw v 2252 N. PETERS, PhoIo-Lithngnphnr. Vin-hm m a UNITED STATES PATENT 7 OFFICE.

JAMES WHITOOMB, or SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA.

WHIFFLETREE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 297,734, dated April 29, 1884.

Application filed January 8, 1884. (No model.)

To wl whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES WHITCOMB, of San Jos, in the countyof Santa Clara and State of California, have invented anew and 5 useful Whiffletree, of which the following is a specification.

The objects of my invention are to provide a whiffietree attachment whereby the resistance at the initial or starting point is greatly 1o relieved, and at the same time the whiflletree largely strengthened, as well as ready means for connecting the tug loops or irons. I accomplish these objects by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which I 5 Figure 1 is a plan of my improved whiffletree. Fig. 2 is a cross-section taken on .the line XX. Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken on the line Y Y of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a vertical section of the clip and set-screw for increasingthe tension of the spring. Fig. 5 is a detail view of one end of the whiffletree.

Similar letters refer to similar parts througlr out the several views.

Arepresents the wooden portion of my whiffletree, which is beveled or inclined along the rear edge from the center or greatest thick mess to the ends thereof, as shown in Fig. 1. Along this beveled edge is placed a fiat pi ce of steel, B, of sufficient thickness to provide a spring of the required tension, the ends of which are rounded, so as to pass through holes 0, made in the ends of the whiffietree, and bent inwardly to form hooks D for the tug irons or loops. Upon the wooden portion of the whif- 35 fletree are placed open-ended clips or angleirons E, which are held by bolts F, and mid- Way between these angle-irons or in the center of the whiffletree is placed a fixed band, G, I secured by the bolt G. In the outer end of the band is a set-screw, H, the end of which 0 acts against the spring-bar and causes it to become more or less rigid as the screw is tightened up or loosened, and also serves to hold the bent ends of the hooks more firmly against x the face ofthe wooden bar andimpart agreater 5 resilience to the spring, the open-ended angleirons acting as fulcrums against which the spring-bar acts.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 50

1. In a whiffletree having a continue us spring-bar, the fixed band G, provided with a set-screw, H, which, by tightening or loosening causesthespring-bar to act with a great- 5 5 er or less resilience, substantially in the manner asherein set forth and specified.

2. The combination and arrangement. of the beveled wooden bar, continuous spring-bar, angle-irons or fulcrum, and the fixed band pro- 6o vided with the adjusting set-screw, constructed and operating substantially in the manner as herein set forth and specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

JAMES WVHIICOMB. [L. s] 

